Lightning Scarlet
by Miss Vagabond
Summary: My first fic, about Anna's life in the 2nd tournament. *Chapter 9 now up! Final Chapter!* ... Please R&R! Thanks to everyone that has.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
  
Anna Williams looked around her new apartment from her cross-legged position on the bed. The walls were a dull yellow, white net curtains covered the windows and soft, creamy carpet on the floors. A chest of drawers rested against one wall beside a doorway to the bathroom and another to a tiny kitchen, there was also a wardrobe near the head of the double bed. She got up and hauled her suitcase over to the large bed and unzipped it hastily. Searching through the clothes she found what she was looking for, a framed photo of herself with her parents and older sister, Nina.  
  
Anna gazed at the picture with a touch of sadness in her eyes and placed it on the bedside table. Their mother had died when Anna was barely 3 years old, and their father didn't really have that much time for them, besides the martial arts training, because he was always busy with work. Anna and Nina had to become quite independent, cooking and keeping the house tidy but thanks to their dad, they were never short of money.  
  
Anna went back to her suitcase, taking out her clothes and putting them into drawers, and when she'd finished that she put her make-up bag in the bathroom with a few other things. Lastly she pulled out a wire-toothed brush and a small bowl from a large pocket on the side of the case and placed them in a cupboard under the kitchen sink.  
  
A young black and white cat lifted her head when she heard her food bowl being put down and made a beeline toward the kitchen, weaving around Anna's legs purring expectantly.  
"Sorry Kazumi," Anna laughed, "It's not tea time yet."  
The girl reached down to scratch behind Kazumi's charcoal coloured ears and smiled.  
Kazumi was like one of Anna's best friends, she comforted her when she was feeling down and made her laugh all the time with her kitten-like antics.  
  
Anna straightened up and walked back to the main room with Kazumi at her heels and dropped down on the bed again. She picked up the letter she had received about a week ago from the Mishima Conglomerate and read it once more. It had the list of fights already sorted out on it and the list of contenders. There were a lot of the same fighters from the last tournament and a few new ones. Anna didn't care too much about winning the money and all that, she only wanted to stop Nina from assassinating her boss, Kazuya Mishima, and maybe, just maybe she could try to patch things up with her. Anna herself wasn't exactly sure why Nina hated her so deeply because they got along well when they were children. Nina had always been the popular one and Anna was usually in her shadow but she didn't really mind, Anna looked up to her big sister who was so outgoing and "cool". Anna on the other hand was shy and reserved, she went pink-cheeked whenever someone (besides her friends) spoke to her and was nowhere as near as popular and Nina. Since then Anna had come out of her shell a bit, having been around a lot of people while she was studying. There were heaps of people to talk to and she didn't have time to be shy.  
  
The tournament was starting in 2 days and Anna realised she didn't know what she was going wear for a fighting outfit. She started going through her drawers and she tried on many different outfits but nothing really felt right. Then she remembered the dress, a beautiful off the shoulder satin dress, scarlet with gold lining and matching gloves. She also remembered when she first tried it on, it was a perfect fit and when she looked at her reflection she couldn't help smiling, it looked great and it made her feel so…powerful, like she could do anything. She wasn't too fond of the massive silt up the side but it made it easier to move around in.  
  
Anna skipped over to the big cupboard near her bed and pulled open the door, Kazumi's golden eyes following her from the windowsill. The dress hung there on a simple coat hanger. She carefully lifted it off the hanger and slowly held it up to herself, the sunlight caught the gown and it gleamed with a fiery ferocity. Anna admired the dress in the mirror.  
"It'll be perfect" She murmured with a satisfied smile. 


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
  
It was the first morning of the Tournament. Anna slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at the clock. She squinted, eyes still a bit fuzzy from sleeping and read out loud.  
"Ten to six." She sighed sleepily, stretching her arms above her head with a groan.  
Feeling a soft pressure on her stomach she looked down to find Kazumi curled up there on top of her duvet. Anna smiled and sat up slowly, the cat slid to the side, regarding Anna out the corners of slitted golden eyes then went back to sleep. The room was washed in grey tones and rain pattered against Anna's window softly, the headlights of a few passing cars threw yellow light on the walls briefly as she yawned.  
  
Anna sat on the side of her bed rubbing her eyes while her feet tried to find her slippers on the floor then she trudged into the kitchen, her slippers scuffing loudly on the carpet, and flicked on the light. Anna fixed herself a quick breakfast of toast and tea, since she wasn't scheduled to fight today she didn't exactly need energy food but she had to be at Kazuya's side as a bodyguard when he did his 'welcoming speech' along with a few others. Anna absently wondered if she might make friends with some of the fighters this time but laughed it off,   
"People are here for money not for socialising" she chided herself.  
She walked back to her bedroom and got ready for the long day ahead. Anna slipped into the scarlet gown and tugged the long silky gloves; the satin felt cool and soft against her pale skin. Sitting in front of the mirror she applied her make-up as she always liked to look her best and she gazed absently at her reflection while she combed her short auburn hair. She fed the cat who thanked her with loud purrs and enthusiastic meows before grabbing her keys and leaving the room, locking it behind her.  
  
Anna walked down the worn blue carpet in the brightly lit hallway, came to the lifts and pressed the button. Ding! She stepped inside the empty lift, her high heeled shoes tapping loudly on the hard surface. Anna pressed the button for the top floor, where Kazuya's and Lee's offices were, guessing they'd already be there making last minute preparations. The place where the lift stopped was much more luxurious than the rest of the building; nearly everything was coloured in gold and cream hues. Large glittering chandeliers hung from the high ceiling and Anna admired them as she walked toward some wooden doors to the left; the place had been done up since she saw it last. Reaching the double doors she knocked twice, the hollow sound echoed through the empty hallway.  
"Come in." A stern voice called. Anna pushed open the heavy doors and approached the old oak desk set near the back wall. The worn leather chair swivelled to face her and her blue eyes met with dark brown ones. The harsh look on the man's face melted away as he recognised the newcomer.  
"Oh, it's you Anna," he spoke to her as if she was an old friend  
"Hi Lee," Anna smiled at him and there was an awkward silence between them. Quickly she added "I'm not too early am I? Is Kazuya in?"  
"No, and yes. Kazuya is 'helping' to organise the sound people for his talk today." Lee shook his head slightly, recalling the terrified expression of the poor man Kazuya had yelled at earlier that morning. "He's in the Dojo."  
"Oh alright, thanks!" Anna said, happy for an excuse to leave.  
Lee went back to his computer work.  
  
On the way to the Dojo, Anna saw another of Kazuya's employees heading in the same direction. Quickening her pace she finally caught up with her. Anna had met the girl at the last tournament.  
"Hey, Kunimitsu!" Anna greeted the ninja with a friendly tone as she hurried to keep up with her ground eating pace.  
Kuni gave her a nod and a small wave, she'd never been one to talk much, Anna remembered. They walked the rest of the way in silence, yet it wasn't uncomfortable like it might have been with Lee, Anna guessed she and the ninja had an unspoken acceptance of each other. They could hear Kazuya long before he came into sight, yelling at some other poor employee probably. An amused smile tugged at the corners of Anna's painted red lips. Kunimitsu looked over at Anna and tilted her head to one side questioningly.  
"I guess he hasn't changed much then." Anna grinned at the Japanese cat mask that covered Kunimitsu's face and Kuni chuckled quietly, shaking her head.  
Kazuya looked stressed and all the workers were nervous of his explosive temper as they tried to work as fast as they could without making mistakes. There was less than an hour to go until the fighters were expected to assemble in this very spot. Anna noticed that they'd constructed a temporary stage which was tall so Kazuya could see everyone at once. It had railings like a balcony around the edges, also a staircase to one side. He spotted two of his bodyguards entering and started toward them  
"At least some of us are on time" Kazuya boomed, giving one technician an impatient look as he finished wiring up the speakers.  
Anna and Kunimitsu bowed politely as Kazuya stopped in front of them and his expression softened a little.  
"Good morning girls" he greeted giving them a thin smile, though he was obviously not happy  
Anna furrowed her brows.  
"What's the -" she started but was cut off  
"What's the matter?" Kazuya growled "Half my guards were hospitalised last night, by my goddamn father" he spat the last words as if they were a deadly poison. "He's still alive…." Kazuya trailed off, dark brows knitted together making his usually handsome face seem demonic. The look on his face vanished just as quick as it had appeared as the head technician gave him the all clear and he glanced at his wristwatch. It was twenty to eight, and Kazuya went back to inspect everything as if the girls were never there at all. Anna shrugged  
"That was weird…" she muttered, a worried look upon her delicate face.  
  
Luckily enough, everything was up to Kazuya's expectations, much to the relief to the workers and they were allowed to go on a break. Kazuya stood tall in the middle of the stage, his broad and powerful shoulders tense, and his dark eyes scanned the growing crowd. There was no sign of the old man yet; no doubt he would make a big entrance. He snapped out his trance-like state with Anna elbowing him, just hard enough to get his attention  
"You know, you don't look very welcoming with that big frown." She whispered  
Kazuya only grumbled, but tried to keep a straight face after that.  
He looked at his watch again it was ten past nine and he decided it was fashionably late enough to start his speech.  
"Your attention please." Kazuya's voice boomed over the loud speakers.  
Everyone stopped their small talk and anxious fidgeting and directed their gazes toward the stage, all were silent as Kazuya recited his welcoming speech and his talked about the rules. Anna's sapphire gaze washed over the sea of familiar faces looking for one in particular. She was standing to the right of Kazuya his large frame dwarfing her petite one, while Kunimitsu took up a spot behind the two, looking between Kazuya's and Anna's shoulders. Beside Kuni on the other side was a tall kick boxer with dark skin and a Mohawk, he had a fierce expression and he stood with his fists clenched by his sides, and to Kazuya's left, a huge Sumo wrestler in his traditional attire and then Lee, standing with his arms crossed and staring boredly at the opposite wall.  
Anna wasn't really listening to Kazuya as she had heard it more than once before. Suddenly she tensed up and a familiar nervous feeling of 'butterflies' was felt in her gut as she spotted a pair of blue eyes burning into her own. Soft corn coloured hair fell on either side of the girls face and the rest pulled back in a ponytail, her dark red lips twisted into a sneer as their gazes locked. Anna felt a light sweat break out on her forehead and she tore her eyes away from her sister's accusing stare, jumping slightly as Kazuya shouted,  
"Let the battle commence!" 


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
  
The crowd surrounding the arena surged with excitement and energy, two fighters stood in the middle of the gathering spectators eyeing each other up. It was the 5th fight on the first day, that very morning Anna had been standing there at Kazuya's side.  
One of the fighters was a huge man, his muscles bulging under his tanned skin slick with sweat and blood. A ferocious jaguar mask covered his face with it's mouth open in a silent snarl, fangs gleaming dully in the light. The man, known only as King, stood his ground with his back hunched slightly and his arms held out protectively in front, his chest heaved with the effort of the long battle. The other fighter was an ageing man, bald apart from two spikes of jet black hair on either side of his head and he was wearing a black Karate Gi. His small muddy brown eyes set deep in his weathered face were watching the masked fighter, awaiting his next move. Despite this man's age he was incredibly powerful and quick on his feet and King was having a hard time just trying to get near him. After his brief rest King lunged again at his opponent, bringing his elbow crashing down on the old man's brow, blinding him just long enough for King slip behind and grab him around the waist. He tightened his hold and began to lift him up, leaning right back but still on his feet he slammed the man's head into the solid wooden floor with a deafening clunk. King rolled to the side and stood over his opponent who lay at his feet, dazed.  
The man stayed down for a while, the only sign of life was his heavy breathing. Suddenly in one swift movement he was on his feet again showering King with heavy jabs and punches to the head and chest. King was nearly exhausted and barely managed to block the first punch thrown at his muscular chest. The second connected with his head and his neck snapped back and the man grinned, feeling his fists connect with soft flesh. King regained his balance and shook his head, blood splashed on the floor and he licked at the metallic tasting liquid that flowed freely from his nose. With a loud roar he swung his fist angrily at the other man's gut but it was dodged easily and another punch connected with the jaguar face that sent him spinning helplessly. King hit the ground hard on his back and didn't get back up.  
"Heihachi wins!" the announcer declared as Heihachi flexed his muscles, lightning jumping around his outstretched arm.  
  
Meanwhile Anna had decided to go out for a while. It was her lunch break and Kazuya always let her off. She sometimes wondered if some of the male employees were a bit jealous of her special treatment. She picked up a few things to decorate her boring looking apartment at a Japanese market just down the road. Walking back to the Dojo, Anna's arms were loaded with cute and colourful knick knacks, a bouquet of red and yellow gerberas wrapped in silvery paper bobbed their large daisy like heads to the rhythm of her footsteps. In the other hand she carried a bag containing things from books to lollypops (the raspberry ones were her favourite), and a little fluffy mouse toy dangling on a string for Kazumi. The day was bright and sunny with barely a cloud in the sky and the air was comfortably warm. A soft breeze ruffled Anna's hair and despite the circumstances she felt joy surge inside her. As she neared the Mishima Zaibatsu Anna sensed the daylight around her dim a little, the large buildings loomed dark against the crystal sky and she felt a slight urge to turn and run in the opposite direction.  
"That's just silly!" she laughed quietly to herself and persuaded her legs to keep moving, not having noticed that she'd stopped.   
  
Back inside another battle had just finished. Anna peeked through a window and saw a crumpled body on the floor, the watching crowd had begun to disappear. A familiar figure stood a few steps back from the scene, her corn coloured hair was hanging limply in her over her face, spots of drying blood marred her usually perfect complexion and a triumphant smile curved her lips.   
  
Anna clenched her fists and the paper wrapping on her flowers crunched in the tightening grip, quickly she made her way to the lifts. Anna fumbled for the key to her room, her hands felt shaky as she finally swung open the door and slammed it behind her. "How am I gonna confront Nina when the sight of her makes me so nervous?" she thought, letting out a sigh. But still she was determined to talk to her. Kazumi looked up at the girl with her black tail waving slowly as her attempts to get Anna's attention failed, she stood up on her hind legs resting her front paws on the interesting looking bag in Anna's hand and sniffed at it. Feeling the increase in weight Anna looked down, her trail of thought broken and she giggled,   
"Nosey cat…Oh you want this huh?" she grinned putting the flowers down and taking out a catnip filled mouse, dangling it above the cat's head. Kazumi's ears perked forward and she launched herself upward grabbing the mouse skilfully out of Anna's hand, she came back to the ground with a dull thump and began to chase it across the floor batting it between her snowy paws. Anna leaned back on the door and laughed in delight, her little companion always managed to lift her spirits.   
Leaving Kazumi to her new found entertainment Anna realised she was going to be late back from her break, she left her shopping on her bed to be sorted out later and began to make her way back to the Dojo. Hearing the lift open at the end of the hall Anna looked up and saw her sister get out. Nina deliberately stopped a few paces in front of the frozen Anna and looked her in the eye, a mocking smirk slowly spread across her face.  
"Get out of my way" said Nina, rolling her eyes and she pushed past her, purposefully ramming her shoulder into her sister's.  
"Hey!" Anna cried as she stumbled back "What's your problem?" she gritted teeth in frustration.  
"Aww I'm sorry, did I hurt you?" Nina replied sarcastically.  
Anna frowned "Why do you always have to act like such a bitch! I haven't done anything to you…"  
"Just you being yourself is enough" Nina smirked and started down the hall but Anna grabbed her shoulder.  
"Let go of me, skank" she hissed pulling herself away  
"Can we please talk?" Anna's voice was barely audible and she tried to ignore that last remark.  
"Mm… Nah, now go on, off you go!"  
Nina made a hand motion as if she were swatting a fly, an impatient tone in her voice. Anna felt anger slowly swelling in the pit of her stomach.  
"How dare she treat me like this without a good reason" she thought as Nina walked away, Anna's fiery glare followed her until she disappeared around the corner of the hallway.  
  
The little encounter made Anna irritable for the rest of the day, she was angry at herself for not standing up to Nina and for trying to be nice. It happened every time but Anna was still hopeful that, one day, Nina would just listen! After all, they were family and families are supposed to be understanding…  
"What are you talking about?" Kunimitsu answered after hearing Anna's little story "You've seen no proof of that in a long time right? Look at Kazuya and Heihachi, they'd rather stick pins in their eyes than be in the same room together"   
And Anna smiled a little. "I guess you're right, as usual"   
"Naturally" Kunimitsu replied with an unseen grin.  
"I'll just have to show her that I deserve respect when I beat her in this tournament" Anna giggled, nervously.  
Kunimitsu nodded slowly and hoped, for her friend's sake, that she would defeat Nina. 


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
  
It had now been a week since the tournament begun, and the fighters with true talent were beginning to shine. Not many contestants were left at this point. Anna, surprised at herself, was still in after winning her last 6 fights, as well as Kunimitsu and Nina. Heihachi was steadily and easily earning wins much to the disgust of Kazuya and a young Japanese woman by the name of Jun was doing well for herself. Also Paul, Law and Yoshimitsu had reached the finals.  
  
Anna was up early again. It was her day off and she was on her way toward the outdoor fighting arena to cheer on Kunimitsu in her next fight. The morning was dull as the sky and sun were covered by swollen grey clouds  
"You can never rely on the weather around here," Anna thought, as a chilly breeze suddenly came up and she wrapped her arms around herself. Dressed in dark denim jeans and a knitted pink jumper, she arrived at her destination and squeezed through the excited crowd to the edge of the arena and spotted the young ninja.  
  
Her long, red ponytails fluttered in the light wind as she stood in the center of the grassy arena, psyching herself up for the battle. Her trademark cat mask was worn over her face as usual, the fine workmanship of it made it appear delicate and fierce all at once. Kunimitsu's opponent had not yet arrived and Anna had forgotten who it was going to be, so she just waited. After only a little while he arrived, walking into the arena with a tall and proud posture, he stopped about a meter away from Kunimitsu and got into his fighting stance and she did the same. Marshall Law was his name and he looked like tough competition, he was dressed in a simple outfit of baggy black pants and a red sash around his waist leaving his chest bare.  
  
"Fight!" bellowed the announcer.  
The two fighters wasted no time and both of them leaped at each other, they both matched each other's agility and for a while every move was blocked. Law was the first to get a successful hit with his somersault kick. Kunimitsu cried out as his foot connected with her chin and sent her into the air then she landed hard on her back, but she wasn't down for long, she thrust her leg out toward his ankles and he stumbled backwards, giving her time to get back on her feet. She ran at Law and jumped in the air just before she reached him, performing a forward flip she landed with her feet on his shoulders briefly then pushed off again forcing his head down almost to his knees with the power of Kunimitsu's stunt, she landed back on the ground with perfect cat-like balance. Law wouldn't stay down either and attacked the ninja with a series of powerful punches as soon as he got close to her. Kunimitsu blocked them all, although the strength of the attack made her feet slip a little on the grass. Suddenly Law rushed at her but faked the attack and just stepped back, Kunimitsu got put off and the moment Law saw her confusion he slammed his fist hard into her stomach. Some people in the crowd gasped as Kuni doubled over and dropped to her knees, and Anna winced at her friend's painful cry. Law watched the girl with a satisfied grin, he was sure she couldn't go on now, but her was unpleasantly surprised when she struggled back to her feet. Kunimitsu was starting to get mad with this rather annoying man and she clenched her teeth, reaching down to a sheath tied to her leg and pulling out her Kunai knife. Gripping it tightly she glared at Law through the eye slits in her mask, a low growl emitted from her throat and she lifted the knife over her head, then down toward his chest in one lightning fast motion, but it was blocked and a roundhouse was swung at her side, Kuni jumped out of reach just in time. By now both fighters were getting irritated, they were very equally matched and it was hard to for them to even hit each other, Law got close again attempting more punches and Kunimitsu faked a punch to his gut, then threw another at his nose while he was open from trying to block the other. There was a dull crack and blood began to flow, Law was temporarily blinded by tears and she took advantage of this by slashing at his face and chest with the knife, the grass was splattered with deep red spots. The crowd was going crazy with the bloodshed, some cheered Kuni on and others shouted at her, but it looked like she'd won, Law was on the ground bleeding heavily and the medics were on their way.  
"Kunimitsu wins!" declared the announcer. A huge, roaring applause went up.  
  
Later that day Anna went from fight to fight, checking out her opponents-to-be. At one particular fight she found Kazuya watching too, she came up beside him and he greeted her with a silent smile. He stood with his powerful arms crossed over his chest, shoulders square and legs parted slightly, he wore a deep purple suit, black hair was slicked back to a point as he watched. Kazuya was tall and Anna's cheek only reached his shoulder. She directed her gaze to where his was and saw another two fighters, one was a tall, blonde American man in a red judo gi named Paul Phoenix and the other, a pretty Japanese woman, Jun Kazama. Kazuya seemed to watch Jun intently and Anna felt a twinge of jealousy as she too let her eyes follow the graceful fighter. The battle seemed to go on forever and Anna let her mind wander, she watched the fight without really seeing what was happening, the roar of the crowd dulled in her ears. Anna turned her attention to Kazuya who was still busy watching the scene the only movement was his eyes and the rise and fall of his breathing. Anna's eyes took in his finely chiselled features and dark almond shaped eyes under thick eyebrows, his hair pulled back off his face in his unusual yet fetching style.  
"He's really cute," Anna thought suddenly, "Too bad I'm just… me."  
An image of Nina popped into her mind with her nasty sneer and equally nasty words, always telling Anna about her downfalls and imperfections, blue eyes that almost burned with hatred of her younger sister for no spoken reason.  
"Anna… Are you okay?" Kazuya asked raising a brow at her, and she blushed realising she'd been staring at him, the fight had finished and Jun had won.  
Anna tried to laugh off her embarrassment as she replied, "Sorry, I was away with the fairies," she smiled and Kazuya chuckled in a low, rumbling voice as he turned to leave, Anna at his side. 


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
  
The sky was dark with a threatening thunderstorm and everything felt unreal to Anna as if she was just dreaming. All the good feelings from the day before had left and all she felt was dread. She kept staring at the paper as if the writing would somehow change before her eyes…and she read it again -   
Nina Williams vs. Anna Williams  
Fight 6, Day 10  
"That's today," she kept telling herself and she glanced over at the clock, which read 3:30 pm.  
"And only one hour left."  
Anna was so nervous, her palms felt clammy and her stomach seemed to be doing somersaults of it's own. It felt like such a short time since the tournament had started and now it was nearly over. She lay flat on her back on the bed, staring at the low ceiling and lost in thought. The softness of her mattress almost made her want to fall asleep and she slowly shut her eyes letting out a sigh.  
"God! what am I so afraid of…" she cried in her mind. "It's only Nina, the same Nina who I played dress-ups with when we were little…isn't it?" Anna frowned, her eyes still shut.   
"I don't actually know." she answered her own question out loud.  
There was a loud knock at the door and Anna jumped, her eyes snapped open and she dragged herself on to her feet, her whole body felt heavy like the black clouds outside her window.  
"Who is it?" she called and a low voice answered,  
"Just me."  
"Hello me," Anna laughed, opening the door and looking up into dark almond eyes, "What can I do for ya?"  
Kazuya's eyes crinkled at the corners. "I just wanted to wish you luck, Anna, and…" He pulled his right arm from behind his back and produced a small bouquet of scarlet roses, grinning as a soft pink blush crept on to her cheeks.  
"Oh, um, thankyou" stammered Anna as she took them from him. Admiring the velvety red petals she stayed in a shy silence.   
"Right, I should get going. I'll be at your next fight." He said quickly and started down the hall then added again, "Good luck."   
Anna smiled to herself and shut the door again, lifting cold hands to her hot cheeks, "Maybe today won't be so bad…"  
  
About half an hour after Kazuya's visit, Anna was nearly ready for her big fight. Finally she slipped into some red high heels and adjusted her gloves. Staring at herself in the mirror with distant eyes, Anna decided that this would be the best opportunity to talk with her sister. She wanted to wear her out and make her listen as well as distracting her from assassinating Kazuya.  
"Okay, this is it," she whispered to her reflection, then headed out the door.  
  
Anna arrived at the arena a little bit early, there was a small crowd starting to gather and Nina was nowhere in sight. She clasped her hands together anxiously and started slowly pacing back and forth trying to calm herself down, her eyes scanned the spectators curiously and she smiled slightly when she spotted Kunimitsu and Kazuya to her right. Suddenly the crowd grew quieter and the click of stiletto heels could be heard on the wooden floor as Nina approached slowly and deliberately. She held her head high with a confident smile painted on her face. She was wearing a purple cat suit with long stockings to match and a gold ribbon tied in her hair, keeping it out of her face. Anna shifted her weight from one foot to the other and watched her sister approach. She felt a surge of adrenaline that lifted the heavy feeling her body held and she got into her cat stance. Nina flashed Anna a sarcastic grin and took her own stance, she blocked out everything but her target, the announcer signalled for them to begin and the crowd roared at the girls, shouting encouragement to their favoured fighters.  
  
Nina jumped straight in with a combo of high and low kicks which Anna barely avoided then followed up with lightning fast slaps at her sister's face, the last one caught Anna's cheek, she raised one hand to the stinging spot on her face and frowned.  
"Why aren't you fighting back!" Nina growled, glaring at her and Anna just glared back, rubbing her cheek.  
Nina tackled Anna with another angry growl and got on top of her, raking at Anna's face with her fingernails. Anna cried out in surprise as she was forced to the ground by her sister and tried to block the attacks, eventually she grabbed Nina's wrists and tried to push her off with her knee but to no avail, they began rolling over each other screaming and pulling at hair and scratching. Nina rolled to the side and got Anna into an arm lock, pulling her arm and bending her elbow the wrong way, Anna screamed in pain. She tried to bat Nina off, feeling her bones crunch as they were near breaking point she gritted her teeth and rolled in the same direction as Nina, loosening her grip enough for Anna to escape. Both girls were back on their feet looking a bit messed up, Nina's ponytail had nearly come loose and soft strands fell around her face while Anna sported a few scratches on her neck that were puffy and red, she flexed her arm and groaned a little as pain shot up from her elbow.   
  
Things weren't looking good for Anna so far and Nina launched another attack, thrusting both her palms at the scarlet clad woman's torso and knocked her back, rolling over twice before she stopped against one of the barriers surrounding the arena and rose slowly.  
"This is too easy," laughed Nina then rolled her eyes mockingly at Anna and pretended to yawn behind her hand.  
The arrogant tone of Nina's voice sent hot anger though Anna's veins and forgetting about her aching arm and bruised body she threw herself into a string of powerful attacks, catching Nina off guard with the sudden change in her fighting technique, she kicked Nina hard in her calf causing her to stumble so Anna could bring her knee into Nina's face. Anna stood on one leg for a moment holding up the knee that connected, then threw her leg out at Nina's chest knocking her off her feet with a hefty thump. Nina landed quite ungracefully on her backside and looked up at Anna from under her loose hair.  
"That's more like it," she smirked, wiping blood from her lip with the back of her hand.  
"Only just warming up, sis," replied Anna in a slightly mocking tone.  
"Hah!" Nina laughed then tried to sweep Anna with a kick directed at her ankles, which was easily avoided.  
Anna started to threaten Nina by stomping her heels dangerously close to her feet and calves "Come on, get up," she challenged.  
"Hey, piss off!" hissed Nina as a heel grazed the side of her leg and she stood up.  
The fight resumed with Nina suddenly lashing out with a roundhouse kick that caught Anna in the side of her head, her front foot slipped sideways with the force of it and Nina tried the move again, this time it was blocked although she was still a bit dazed. Anna saw an opening and performed a somersault kick, her foot connected under Nina's chin and her head snapped back painfully. Anna landed back on the floor and Nina just shook her head, pretending it didn't hurt as much as it did. Anna noticed that her sister was starting to slow down and she hesitated on her next attack. The blonde could see it coming a mile away and sidestepped as Anna's elbow came at her face and she missed her completely.  
Anna turned to face Nina, their eyes locked and the noise of the crowd became a distant roar in Anna's ears.  
"Nina…why are we doing this? If Dad could see us now he'd -" she was cut off by a impatient but pained groan.  
"I know, but he's not here and it's your fault. You killed him."  
Anna's eyes widened "Wh-what? How could you say such a thing!"  
"Oh please! I saw you do it for Christ's sake, you were too stupid to notice I was right in the next room." Nina snarled  
Anna blinked back hot tears and feeling the rage inside her bubble up once more, she clenched her fists.  
"It wasn't me!" she screamed in frustration, throwing a punch blindly at Nina's face.   
Nina just stepped out of range and smirked,   
"It was. You were 'conveniently' working with the Mishima Corporation at the same time weren't you?"  
"Is that why you hate me? You don't even have any proof."  
They kept their eyes locked and Nina's eyes flashed briefly with anger  
"I don't need proof to hate you," she replied calmly, her smirk widening.  
Anna's stomach was tying itself in knots, she felt sick at what Nina had accused her of and she gave her sister a helpless look that just made Nina laugh.  
"Fine, if you're gonna be like that…" Anna growled defiantly and took her stance once more.  
Nina watched her warily and her eyes flickered with amusement for a moment, slowly she circled Anna waiting for a chance to attack again. Nina found it quite funny when her sister got mad, her eyes narrowed and her lips pressed together in a thin line but her face still looked innocent, She could get away with anything and got Nina out of trouble quite a few times when they were younger. At this memory Nina, to her surprise, smiled and this time it was genuine but she quickly dismissed the emotion, she couldn't turn soft now.  
  
Nina noticed that Anna wasn't watching her anymore but looking past her, she saw it was her chance and grabbed her sister's arm, twisting around behind her and flipping her on to the floor before she could even cry out. Anna arched her back when she landed, pain shot up her spine and she tried to stop it by pressing her hand against the small of her back, she stayed down for a while as the pain subsided but when she looked up and saw one of Nina's sharp stilettos coming toward her face she rolled to the side and got back on her feet.   
  
The two fighters, both breathing hard, glared at each other once again then they both moved at the same time into a strange looking stance, with one leg raised and the other bearing their weight they slowly lifted their arms above their heads, pink and gold sparks of energy emitted from their hands and it was a spectacular sight. They reached the peak of the attack, all the energy concentrated and the crowd was silent in awe of the graceful yet deadly women. Suddenly like two snakes after a mouse they thrust their arms at each other in lightning speed and jabbing the other's gut with deadly precision the energy was released.  
  
They both fell backwards in opposite directions, landing on the ground at the same time. The only sound was the thunder rumbling outside as the crowd stood in stunned silence, Anna and Nina lay sprawled on their backs and their eyes closed, neither of them moved. Not even the announcer knew what happened as he watched and waited for a sign of who had won. 


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
  
The silence was almost deafening and Anna wondered if she had died, her eyelids felt heavy and she couldn't open her eyes, she couldn't move at all. She panicked as a thought came into her head,  
"I'm paralysed!" She thought desperately   
Her body was totally exhausted but then somehow she managed to lift her hand to her face, pressing it lightly against her forehead to ease the throbbing pain. With her chest heaving from the effort she slowly sat up then opened her eyes and suddenly a deafening roar erupted in her ears. She saw Nina sprawled on her back, then realised that the loud noise that drilled into her sore head was the audience. Anna's eyes widened in shock and she sat in the middle of the arena slightly dazed, Kunimistu knelt beside her and helped her to her feet.  
"You did it, Anna" Kunimitsu exclaimed, her voice was full of admiration.  
The words took a moment to sink in as Anna leaned on her friend, her legs stumbled underneath her and she felt shaky and sore all over but a wide smile spread across her face.   
Anna was led out of the arena and she looked back over her shoulder to see two medics with a stretcher taking her sister away. Nina looked so fragile and Anna felt a little stab of sympathy, she hardly noticed all the passing people giving their congratulations.  
  
Kunimitsu accompanied Anna to her room and dragged her through the doorway as she suddenly collapsed. She lay Anna on her bed and watched as her faithful pet jumped up beside her and curled up against her shoulder, the cat seemed to understand that she was not well.  
  
Anna woke with a jolt. She blinked a few times as she realised she was back in her room and tried to recall what had happened. A soft groan escaped her lips as she tried to get up, her whole body was aching and her head pounding. It was now dark outside her window and rain pelted against the glass. She trudged into the kitchen and fumbled for the light switch, the bright light hurt her eyes and she squinted against it as she reached for some painkillers. Briefly Anna wondered if Nina was okay and glanced at the clock, it was nearly seven pm and she would be back in her own room by now. Anna pondered going to visit her but decided against it, Nina would probably be really pissed off and she was already scary enough when she was just being normal. Leaving the kitchen she made her way to the bathroom, thinking that maybe a nice hot shower would help her aching muscles. Anna shut the door and undressed, piling some clean clothes neatly beside the basin ready for when she got out, then turned on the water. The hot spray was relaxing and she closed her eyes, Anna washed her hair and the rest of her body then just stood under the water letting it sooth the painful swelling of her elbow and her tired bones. After a long while Anna dragged herself out and quickly wrapped a towel around her shoulders before the heat could escape, Anna reached for her clothes, dropping the towel as she did so, but to her surprise and horror the door opened! Anna whirled around and saw Nina in the doorway clutching a Polaroid camera, Anna covered herself up as well as she could just as Nina clicked the button and took a photo. Nina threw back her head and laughed  
"This is payback for beating me today," she giggled as Anna stood there with her mouth hanging open in shock.  
"Get out!" Anna screamed and grabbed the closest object she could find, which happened to be a hairbrush, and threw it at her sister, the brush hit the wall just beside Nina and clattered to the floor as she turned heel and ran out of the room still laughing.   
Anna hastily pulled on some clothes and went after Nina, but was stopped when she ran into Kazuya in the hallway.   
"I'm sorry I was just…" Anna trailed off.  
Kazuya raised a brow and amusement flickered in his dark eyes and he waved it off,  
"No problem, I was looking for you" He smiled an unusually kind smile, which Anna returned politely.  
"Would you like to go out to dinner?" He continued slowly  
Anna blinked once as if his invitation confused her, but accepted.  
"I'll meet you downstairs in say, half an hour?"  
"Great!" Anna replied, wishing she hadn't sounded so excited.  
  
Twenty minutes later Kazuya stood at the foot of the stairs waiting for Anna, dressed smartly but casually in a crisp white shirt and baggy, light blue jeans. The sound of soft footsteps made him turn to see Anna descending the stairs, she looked stunning, wearing a pretty dress the colour of sunshine with sandals and earrings to match and a slightly fluffy cream jacket over her bare shoulders.  
"May I say, you look lovely" Kazuya greeted  
Anna moistened her lips which were suddenly dry  
"Thank you" she managed to say, totally surprised by the compliment spoken so sincerely.  
She felt a blush creep up her cheeks and judging by the amused smile on Kazuya's face, it hadn't gone unnoticed. 


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7  
  
"Ah, here we are, I hope you like Italian food" Kazuya said fifteen minutes later as the limo driver pulled into a large parking lot  
"I love it" Anna replied "This is a busy spot" she continued, noting the lot was nearly full  
"Yeah this place is very popular on weekends…It helps that the trio who perform here are great, and the dance floor adds to the attraction."  
"Dance floor?" Anna repeated, a flicker of alarm chased through her  
The driver came around and opened the door, Kazuya climbed out then offered Anna his hand.  
"You do know how to dance don't you?" He asked as he helped her out of the car  
"Yes, I can dance but I-"  
"Good" Kazuya responded cutting her off in mid sentence. "But first I think we should eat," he went on. "I made reservations before we left."  
Anna fell into step beside him she couldn't tell if he was merely teasing her, but the thought of dancing with Kazuya was making her heart beat faster.  
Once they were inside the restaurant a waiter took them to their table not far from the dance floor and handed them the menus once they were seated.  
"Have a nice evening" He said and left.  
Anna scanned the spacious restaurant as Kazuya studied the menu. Most of the tables were occupied and the low buzz of conversation echoed around the room. White cotton tablecloths draped the tables, in the center of each one stood a tall candle and a vase with a single red carnation. The smell of spaghetti sauce mixed with melted cheese and garlic as well as other enticing aromas filled the air, making Anna's mouth water.  
  
Anna opened the leather-bound menu and tried to concentrate on the items listed. Was Kazuya serious? Was he really going to ask her to dance? She lowered her menu to peek at him. Their gazes collided and instantly her heart pounded against her ribs in reaction.  
"Have you decided?" he asked  
"Um…No." She dropped her gaze back to the menu but the words didn't seem to make sense.  
"I recommend the red wine and mushroom risotto - it's one of my favourites," Kazuya said. "The lasagne is also very good and their spaghetti and meatballs are the best in town."  
Anna closed the menu and smiled.  
"They all sound nice" she replied. "I think I'll try the risotto."  
"Excellent choice," he said "And how about Caesar salad to start off?"  
"That would be lovely, thank you." she smiled  
  
The reality of it all hit Anna and she questioned herself about why Kazuya wanted to take her, of all people, on a date. She watched him with a small smile as he gave their order to the waiter, then she noticed two men and a tall, dark-haired woman wearing a sequined purple dress making their way toward the instruments in the corner of the dance floor. It must be the trio he was talking about before she thought.  
"Would you like a glass of wine?" Kazuya asked, capturing her attention.  
"No thanks, I'll pass," she responded and the waiter gave a small nod then left them again.  
"So tell me more about yourself," Kazuya invited once the waiter had gone.  
Anna met his gaze, silently acknowledging that Kazuya Mishima was by far the most attractive man she'd ever met. She swallowed nervously.  
"There's not really that much to tell."  
Kazuya leaned forward resting his forearms on the table, "If there's nothing to tell then let me have a few guesses, with the name Williams you must be related to that Nina woman."  
"Yes…We're sisters" Anna nodded and then thought "Maybe that's why I'm here, he's interested in Nina -- Why does that sound so familiar." She rolled her eyes slightly.  
"I thought so." he said with a satisfied smile although he already knew the answer.  
Then he chuckled.  
"So, what were you doing when you ran into me before?" Kazuya grinned  
Before Anna could answer, a busboy set a small basket of buns on the table. Moments later the first bars of a familiar song filled the room as the trio began to play.  
Anna turned towards the sound. The woman she'd seen walking to the stage was now standing behind a microphone. She started to sing in a low and seductive voice while several couples rose from their seats and crossed to the dance floor.  
"She has an amazing voice," Anna said, relieved to use the interruption to shift the conversation away from her sister.  
"She does," Kazuya agreed as the waiter appeared with their salads.  
  
Throughout the meal Anna kept the conversation on more general topics and she readily answered his questions about how she was doing in the tournament. The musicians continued to entertain the dinner crowd and Anna noted that the dance floor was rarely empty.  
"How about dessert, or coffee?" Kazuya asked  
"Coffee please," Anna answered with a smile "And the meal was delicious, thanks" she added.  
"My pleasure," he said "But the evening isn't over. We must be the only two people who haven't taken a turn on the dance floor, what do you say?" His smile was inviting and Anna felt her heart skip a beat.  
"I really -" She began  
"You did say you could dance, right? I promise I won't step on your toes" Kazuya teased as he stood up.  
Anna looked up at him, there was no mistaking the gleam of challenge in his eyes. With a shy smile she rose and followed him to the dance floor, the music playing was another sad song about someone breaking someone's heart. Reaching the floor Kazuya turned to Anna and seconds later she was in his arms. Anna's skin tingled as their bodies made contact, she was also glad she had worn high heels as he was quite a bit taller than her. But it was as if they'd been dance partners for years, she followed every step, every turn, her feet seemed to scarcely touch the ground and she silently wished the song would never end.   
  
Kazuya closed his eyes and listened to the enchanting beat of the music. He admitted to himself that he'd deliberately chosen this restaurant for the simple reason he wanted to feel her in his arms. The scent of wildflowers and spring-time filled his senses as they danced and her cheek rested a little unsurely against his shoulder.  
  
Anna was quite surprised by Kazuya's change in personality, she wouldn't have picked him to be the romantic type and would never have dreamed that he was such a wonderful dancer. There was a lot of things she didn't know about this man but she felt that she trusted him completely, which was unusual for her. The music began to fade out and Anna held back a sigh of disappointment as Kazuya slowly released her.  
"That wasn't too bad was it?" He asked  
Anna just nodded and smiled again, tucking her hair behind her ears.  
  
The trio began playing another song, the music was fast and upbeat this time and Anna grinned.  
"Hey, I love this song!" she giggled, feeling her shyness fade a bit more.  
Kazuya took her hands again and before she knew it they were dancing once more to the quick pace of the music, a few of the other couples stopped to watch them as they moved perfectly in time with each other and looked like they had been practicing for weeks. By the time the song had finished Anna and Kazuya were both ready to sit down, they resumed their seats at the table just as the waiter appeared carrying two cups of coffee. The two were still laughing together while they finished their supper  
  
"I had a great time tonight" Anna smiled as they headed back to the limo  
"Me too, it was fun" Kazuya replied and returned the smile.  
On the drive back, they hardly said anything, Anna was worn out from all the dancing and she leaned her head back on the cushy seat, staring out the window. The streets were brightly lit with orange streetlights and there were still a lot of people out and about, Anna could only see a few stars, there was no trace of the thunderstorms now and the air was warm. She yawned softly and noticed Kazuya glancing at his watch, he appeared to be deep in thought, his expression was back to it's normal indifference.  
  
It seemed like ages before the large looming shapes of the Mishima Zaibatsu came into view and Anna felt slightly relieved. The silence continued as Kazuya walked her to her room and as she unlocked the door he came up behind her.  
"We should do this again some time," Kazuya said and smiled slowly as Anna agreed.  
They said goodnight and Anna turned to go inside. She didn't get far, Kazuya's hands reached out and grabbed her upper arms, turning her back toward him. His brown eyes looked into her blue ones, holding her captive. Anna raised her brows curiously but he simply smiled and lowered his head, bringing his lips down on hers in a soft, sweet goodnight kiss. 


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
  
The next morning Anna woke up to a beautiful sunny day, it matched the mood she was in and she hummed to herself as she got dressed into a short red t-shirt and a light denim skirt that reached to her knees. She headed down the hallway toward Nina's room, each step she took seemed to knock her confidence a little but she kept going, she had to get that photo back! When she arrived she found the door was open a crack.  
"That's strange…" She thought then pushed the door open a bit more and peeked inside.  
It was not a very reassuring scene, the room, originally the same as Anna's, had papers and broken glass all over the floor, the blankets had been torn off her bed, windows had been completely smashed and even a few spots of blood adorned the walls. Anna stared in shock but eventually forced herself in  
"Nina, are you here?" her voice wavered and only the soft whistle of wind through the broken window answered.   
The toe of her shoe hit something and she looked down to see Nina's handgun, still loaded. With a shudder Anna turned to leave, she raised her hands over her mouth and gasped, a smeared bloody hand print and two bullet holes marked another wall, it was as if Nina had just vanished or been abducted.  
"Who would want to kidnap my sister?" Anna puzzled  
As if to answer her question two guards and one of Kazuya's bodyguards, Bruce Irvin, appeared in the doorway, barring Anna's escape.  
"Excuse me Miss Williams, the Boss needs you." Bruce said in his gruff voice as he moved to grab her arm.  
Anna stepped back and the other two instantly pointed their guns at her and glared as if daring her to try something now.  
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," The huge man grinned and ground his fist into his hand.  
He backed Anna against the wall "C'mon, I don't wanna have to hurt you." He laughed unpleasantly and his voice was becoming impatient.  
Bruce raised his fists and threw a punch directed at Anna's head, she sidestepped and his knuckles hit the wall, creating a gaping hole. The guards still had their guns aimed at Anna, she tried to run but one of them pulled the trigger. As he did so he yelled in surprise as he was grabbed in a headlock from behind, pulling him off balance so the bullet hit the ceiling instead of the original target. The new attacker twisted and snapped the guard's neck and he fell to the floor, dead. Next the second guard's gun was kicked out of his grasp before he could do anything, Bruce and Anna stared and forgot about what they were doing for a moment as they watched the man get beaten to a pulp.  
"Kunimitsu?"  
"What's going on here?" Kuni demanded and dropped the body of her knocked out opponent, her gaze rested accusingly on the kick boxer.  
"Get lost, this is business" he growled.  
Anna used this distraction to her advantage and ran at Bruce, slamming her knee into his groin then punching him hard across the face, he doubled over and stumbled from the force of her attack, slowly he fell to his knees groaning in agony as the two girls escaped.  
"Get back here you little bitch!" Bruce roared, spitting out blood.  
  
Anna and Kunimitsu ran back down the hall but came to a skidding halt when they reached the lifts. There looked to be hundreds of guards, none of them had guns but the girls were outnumbered - Even though they knew this they were too proud to go without a fight, they took their fighting stances standing back to back as the guards surrounded them. Some of them sneered and laughed but they stayed back, there were no volunteers to fight so guards near the back of the group pushed a few guys in. Kunimitsu sprang on top of one guard like a hungry tiger and knocked him down, shoving her knife into his chest. He screamed in pain and two others jumped in to help, Kuni pulled her knife out and took on one of them while Anna attacked the second. The guards who were just watching jeered and took cheap hits at the girls while they fought off attackers one by one, more guards attacked together and Anna found herself fighting five of them at once, she was beginning to tire. One of them grabbed and held her as another repeatedly punched her, struggling Anna managed to get free and she threw the guard who held her into the other, knocking him over.   
A lot of bodies littered the floor but still they kept coming, Anna was dizzy from all the blows she had taken and she dropped to a kneeling position, immediately she was seised but she had no strength or energy left so she submitted to them. Kunimitsu was also subdued and they had her pinned to the floor, one guard snatched her knife and tossed it away. The world around them slowly turned dark and they were carried away, unconscious.  
  
When Anna woke up a few hours later she found herself lying on her back strapped down to a cold steel table, she could hear voices in the next room behind a one-way mirror. She balled her fists and tried to pull her arms free but they were tied firmly and she grumbled loudly in frustration. Anna then realised she wasn't alone, she turned her head to the left and saw Kunimistu in the same position as herself but she wasn't moving, Anna called her name, she got a response but not the one she was hoping for.  
"Ah, you're awake." A soft accented voice exclaimed and Anna turned her head in the opposite direction.  
A small man with a balding head and large glasses stood just inside the doorway holding a clipboard in one bony hand.  
"What the hell do you want with us!" Anna practically yelled  
The man gave a sad smile and took a few small steps toward her  
"We've just been running a few tests, you will be allowed to go soon, but as for your sister - "  
"Where is she?" Anna demanded  
Another figure entered the room and Anna gasped as she recognised his face.  
"She's in good hands, don't you worry." Lee smirked and crossed the room, stopping beside the still unconscious Kunimitsu.  
"I'm keeping this one too, Bosconovitch." Lee informed the old man who nodded and scribbled something on his clipboard.  
Anna frowned "What's going on!" she cried, confusion and frustration laced her voice.  
"I'm submitting your friend to a cryosleep experiment," He began, his back was turned to her, "And your sister. It's nothing personal," Lee laughed and continued but now he was talking like no one else was in the room. "This will surely impress my Father and he'll leave the entire Mishima Empire to me!"  
He turned back to the two listeners with an evil grin on his face.  
"Oh god, are you still going on about that?" Anna groaned  
Lee's grin faded and he slammed his fist down on the table right beside Anna's ear making her flinch.  
"You're in no position to get smart with me" He growled, then he glanced over at Bosconovitch "Get her out of my sight."  
"Y-Yes sir" he replied meekly.  
  
Lee lifted Kunimitsu in his arms and left the room as Bosconovitch untied the leather straps that bound Anna's arms and legs. As soon as she felt the last strap loosen she sprang to her feet and ran to the heavy metal door which Lee had just disappeared behind but it was already locked, Anna gave it a few half hearted kicks and sighed in defeat. The old man was watching her warily, he looked like a scared rabbit.  
"Now what?" Anna asked him impatiently, she didn't have the heart to beat him up.  
"There's another way out, follow me." Bosconovitch muttered and led her down a weird little tunnel to another door.  
He opened it and stepped aside as Anna walked out. The sunlight was blinding and Anna raised her hand to shield her eyes, the door slammed behind her. She found herself in one of the huge manicured gardens surrounding the Mishima Zaibatsu and just wandered around with a million thoughts and questions clouding her mind. Finally she came to a bench and sat down, there was a lovely view of lush green bushes and trees with beautiful flowers splashing bright colours here and there, directly in front of her was a huge pond with a fountain in the middle of it but she hardly noticed. Resting her head in her hands she didn't know what to do, there was a tight feeling in her throat and she breathed in deeply trying to make it go away.  
"Are you alright Miss?"  
Startled, Anna sat up and saw a young Chinese guy standing in front of her, she hadn't even heard him approach.  
"Yeah. Just great." She replied blankly and he sat down beside her.  
Anna recognised him as the fighter Kunimitsu had battled last week, he still had a large scratch across his cheek from her knife.  
"Need to talk?" Law asked eyeing the strange red marks on her wrists, but Anna shook her head and said nothing more.  
They both sat silently, Anna let the gentle sound of the water soothe her and tried to clear her mind. It was obvious by the tightness in her jaw and the way she appeared to be digging her fingers into her scalp that there was something wrong, Law was getting nervous that she might actually rip her hair out so he decided it was time to leave.  
"I've gotta go," He said pointing back over his shoulder, "Whatever it is that's bothering you I'm sure it'll be okay." Law patted her on the back in a friendly way and left. Anna watched him go and sighed.  
"I'm not so sure about that." 


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
  
The air on top of the volcano was heavy with humidity and the sky was darkening from bright orange to navy blue as the sun slowly began to set. The two remaining fighters of The Iron Fist Tournament were standing opposite each other, their expressions grim but determined and onlookers found safe places to watch the ultimate battle. All the defeated fighters were present. There were Yoshimitsu and Michelle standing under a skeletal looking tree, trying to stay out of the scorching sun. Paul, Marshall, Lei and King were off to one side and Jun was sitting on a rock by herself.  
  
Kazuya stood in a typical pose, his arms crossed over his chest and body turned slightly so he was looking at his opponent sideways. It made him look more intimidating. He was dressed simply in his karate pants and black belt but the heat was still almost unbearable. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead and he wiped it off irritably.   
  
The other fighter was none other than Heihachi Mishima. He was showing off by flexing his arms and making lightning sparks jump around his fists, but no one seemed to be interested. He was confident about this fight and a knowing smirk spread across his face. Heihachi chuckled to himself so low that only he could hear, his son looked strong but he could sense Kazuya's fear.   
The atmosphere was tense and the onlookers were all watching warily, the announcer signalled the fight to begin. As Kazuya charged at his opponent he couldn't help but notice the absence of a certain someone in the small crowd.  
  
Anna had spent a long and sleepless night and finally she fell asleep in the early hours of morning, her dreams were troubled and twisted but she slept heavily. After a long time she managed to force herself awake again, she lay silently staring at the sun setting on the horizon. She blinked and sat up quickly.  
"Oh no," She whispered "I'm late."  
Remembering the important day she pulled on some jeans and a white tank top, put on a small amount of makeup and rushed out the door heading for the volcano arena.  
  
It was barely half an hour later when Anna arrived. As she hiked to the volcano's peak she found it suspiciously quiet, the air was smoky and smelled of sulphur and the only sound was the wind rattling dead branches on the trees. A few figures came into view, blurred slightly by smoke and as Anna passed them she saw that they were all staring in the same direction. She halted beside Jun who was standing now, her hands clasped in front of her and her eyes looked red, maybe it was from the smoke, or something else…  
From deep inside the volcano came a fiery glow. It lit up their surroundings and Anna watched eagerly to catch a glimpse of Kazuya but she was shocked to find there was only one shadow against the sky. As if Jun had picked up on Anna's confusion she spoke, without any other movement apart from her lips.  
"He's gone."  
She stared at her in disbelief and Jun turned away slowly, finding her own way back down to the place they had been calling home for the past month.  
Anna looked around, everything seemed hazy and she was finding it difficult to breathe. Her world started to move in slow motion as she tried to figure out what she had just been told.  
"How could this have happened, he was so young and strong he can't be dead. If he is then where is his body?" She thought, but had already guessed the answer.  
Looking up she saw the victorious Heihachi strut past, a nasty grin hid the pain that had been inflicted during the fight and as he passed closely by Anna he smirked at her evilly, seeing the sadness in her eyes.   
  
Now back in her room Anna stared blankly out the window from across the room, she was leaning back on the closed door with her arms folded tightly across her chest. There was an empty feeling inside her and she just felt numb, she squeezed her eyes shut, willing herself not to cry but it didn't work. Lowering her head, she let her hair fall over her face and tears spilled down her cheeks, hands trembling slightly as she tried to brush them away.  
  
With the tournament finished, Anna felt even worse about having to go home. Without her sister or her friends she was alone again and suddenly her life seemed pointless. But there was one way to make it better. Determination flared in her slightly reddened eyes and she wiped furiously at her damp cheeks as she ran back outside into the garden. She searched for the metal door to the lab and finally found it half hidden in some overgrown bushes. Pushing the foliage aside she pounded her fist on the door, a loud echo sounded inside and, knowing that someone would come unless they wanted to be found out, she kept pounding until the door slowly opened. Anna came face to face with an armed guard, he recognised her and reluctantly let her pass, closing the door again once she was inside.  
  
She marched up to the Doctor, who was tapping away at his computer in the corner of the room. He smiled faintly when he glimpsed her and signalled for her to wait then continued to stare at the screen, furrowing his brows in concentration. Anna crossed her arms impatiently and looked around. Beside the dull light shining off his computer screen the room was washed in a strange bluish glow, Anna's eyes searched for the source of the light and her gaze fell upon a few strange looking compartments behind large windows. Walking uneasily toward the window she let out a small cry when she saw behind the glass were two lifeless bodies surrounded with freezing liquid. The first was Nina, her hair floated limply around her pale face and Anna noticed with relief that except for being frozen she looked unharmed and strangely peaceful. In the chamber to the left of her sister was another young woman around the same age as Anna, she looked at the girl being unaware of who she was. The girl appeared to be tall and her body was strong and toned, her face was quite delicate and fine boned, with a ragged scar running from her right brow down to the middle of her left cheek. Her long red hair, darkened by the cold liquid, looked familiar to Anna somehow and she looked down to read the name "Kunimitsu."  
  
Anna took a few staggering steps backwards, shocked that she had finally seen her friend's face but without even knowing it. Her thoughts were interrupted by a frail, old voice and she turned back to the Doctor.  
"Why have you come back Miss Williams?" He inquired with his brows raised curiously.  
"I… I want to be part of this… Cryosleep." She stammered nervously and the Doctor smiled, his eyes glinting in excitement at his newest test subject.  
"Very well, come this way."  
Bosconovitch led Anna through another door and gave her an "outfit" for the freezing which looked just like a grey bikini, like the ones Nina and Kunimitsu were wearing. Anna looked at the clothing doubtfully but he showed her to a small cubicle and she changed into it.  
  
She shivered as her warm skin was exposed to the room temperature, but an amused smile crossed her lips as she knew she was about to get much, much colder. Back in the room, the Doctor had prepared her sleep chamber and when Anna came back he explained the procedure to her and assured her it was safe. Anna was told to lie down on what appeared to be an operating table, she tried to stay calm even though she felt like running away and hiding all of a sudden. A clear mask was lowered over her nose and mouth and the other end was hooked up to something which Anna couldn't see.  
"You will soon start to feel drowsy, then fall asleep." The Doctor explained, seeing the fear in her expression.  
Almost as soon as he had spoken these words Anna felt her eyelids drooping, they seemed too heavy to stay open and her vision blurred slightly. She took a deep breath and slowly her surroundings turned dark, the only sounds she could hear was her breathing and she fell into a long, deep sleep. 


End file.
